Understanding the Withdrawal Definition

Many people who struggle with an alcohol or drug addiction have experienced withdrawal before. The problem is that since most people don’t understand the withdrawal definition, they don’t know what’s happening. Once you understand withdrawal, however, you’ll understand why it’s so important to get addiction treatment.

What is the Withdrawal Definition?

When you hear about the withdrawal definition, it’s often in the context of someone who uses drugs or alcohol. Because your body is always trying to maintain balance, quitting or going a certain period of time without those substances will lead to withdrawal symptoms. It’s similar to why people who try to quit smoking or stop drinking caffeine start to feel negative side effects. However, drug or alcohol withdrawal is far worse.

While withdrawal symptoms vary, common issues include:

Anxiety

Nausea

Flu-like symptoms

Body tremors

Insomnia

Depression

Why is Withdrawal Dangerous?

Those unfamiliar with the withdrawal definition often don’t realize how dangerous the process can be. During active addiction, drugs and alcohol cause damage to your body, particularly the heart. While experiencing withdrawal, your heart begins to work even harder because it’s trying to regain homeostasis.

With a weakened heart and without the help of substance abuse treatment programs, you may experience heart failure. Aside from heart failure, the neurotransmitters in your brain are misfiring. This causes many of the withdrawal symptoms that you experience when you get clean. More importantly, misfiring neurotransmitters can lead to you having an unexpected seizure.

Getting Help for Withdrawal

When you go detox facility, you can rest assured that you won’t have to worry about all of the potential issues. The first thing that happens in detox is that you go through a full medical assessment. As long as you’re honest about your medical history and substance use, they can help you tremendously. Professionals will provide you with medications that can help alleviate your discomfort.

Cravings are a normal but difficult part of early recovery. This happens because the receptors in your brain are adjusting to life without drugs or alcohol. The great news is that medical science has created new detox medications that trick the brain by occupying those receptors. Not only does this reduce the initial cravings when you get sober, but it also reduces other withdrawal symptoms.

After partnering with our local partner detox center to address your physical dependence, Crest View Recovery Center can help you overcome negative behaviors that contributed to your addiction. Once you’re stable enough, you’ll be able to start the initial phase of life-changing rehab treatment.